High Catfines in ARA Area

Viswa Lab has issued a fuel alert last week and we are sharing it here for your information. Vessels bunkered in ARA (Amsterdam – Rotterdam-Antwerp) should watch out and aim to optimize purifier operation and efficiency.

Between 16th January and 31st January, Viswa Lab has witnessed at least 6 cases of high cat fines (from 64 ppm to 71 ppm) from multiple suppliers. While this may fall within the specification of ISO 8217:2005 (limit 80 ppm) and even within the ISO 8217:2010/2012 specification including permitted variation of 72 ppm, the fact remains that these values are very high.

Onboard purification system will have to operate at 80% efficiency to bring the catfine value below 15ppm recommended by engine makers. Based on statistical data available with us, purification systems on board do not sustain this level of catfine removal except when the vessels are new.

We understand engine makers are likely to specify catfine levels even lower than 15 ppm in the future. You can reduce the hazards of high catfines by specifying in your bunker purchase order that the supply should not contain more than 40 ppm of catfines. In addition to this, you must ensure that the onboard fuel treatment functions at the best level of efficiency. A separate set of instructions to ensure this are available on request.